
How did you come to follow Jesus?
It was in 1978. I was a “party-boy”. I made a lot of money and drove an expensive car. One of my employees, who was a follower of Jesus Christ, began to pray for my salvation in secret. I began to think about my wicked lifestyle. I wondered what would happen to me if I should die in my sins. Then, one afternoon while alone in my office, the presence of God entered the room. I fell from my seat to the floor and put my face in the carpet. I screamed out that God might be merciful to me. I surrendered my life completely to him. Everything changed. I lost all desire for sin. I forgot that I smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day. The desire was gone. I had no longer any inclination to sin. I had been born of God.
How would you describe your ministry?
My ministry is to equip the Church to do the work of ministry. To train them to heal the sick through proclamation of the Kingdom of God. And open the eyes of those whose eyes have been blinded by the god of this age. To turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among those who have been set apart by faith in Jesus.
What evangelistic efforts are you involved in?
Currently, I am involved in street ministry. Healing ministry outside the church setting, and training believers to do the same. Prison ministry in over 12 prisons. Most of my ministry is done outside the 4 walls of a church building – out where the sinful and sick are.
Below is a video of you dragging a giant wooden cross through the downtown areas of large cities across North America, what was your purpose in doing this?
Few things grab people’s attention like a person carrying a 10 ft cross in Uptown Charlotte. It has a way of stirring curiosity in people and many will come up and ask why I do it. It makes it easy to talk about spiritual things. Whenever a sinner asks me why I’m carrying it, they are not surprised or offended when I talk about God or Jesus Christ or sin or Hell. I have seen many fall on their knees in surrender to God publicly after a few moments of conversation. No one can be neutral when it comes to the cross of Christ. The cross demands a response.
Could you share a story of someone on the street responding to the cross?
There have been so many. One night, when carrying the cross in Uptown Charlotte, a group of young college students approached and asked about the cross. We shared the truth concerning sin, righteousness and the Judgment to come. Conviction came upon them. We then shared with them concerning the cross of Christ and His resurrection from the dead. In a few moments, they all fell on their knees there on the sidewalk, with people walking by, and surrendered themselves to Christ. As we walked a little further, we passed by a bar. A group of young men ran to the window to see the cross. One of them came outside and began to ask questions. After a few minutes, his friends called him back inside, but not before we had a chance to pray with him and to urge him not to sleep until he had unconditionally surrendered himself to the Lord Jesus.
As we were returning to the truck, a young man came running up to us, asking about the cross. We stopped. He was astonished, saying that he had just been on the phone with someone for over 2 hours talking about God. I asked him why he did that. He said he had been searching for the way to God for years, but that something would always distract him. I told him that this time God was distracting him. That his search was over.
After taking him through the Law to awaken his conscience and allow the Holy Spirit to convict him, we talked with him of the sacrifice of God’s Son. This man burst into tears, fell on his knees and began to repent and confess his sinfulness. He was so overcome, he literally forgot where he was. He stayed there on his knees for quite sometime. When he came to himself, he looked up and said, “oh, I forgot where I was!” He then began to rejoice and hugged us several times. He kept pointing to the spot where he had been kneeling as he would say, “I left them right there! I left my sins right there!”
It was a holy moment, and one I will never forget.
What do you want believers to walk away with after watching the video and listening to the testimonies?
I greatly desire that believers will be inspired to a life of radical faith, audacity and daring boldness so that we can all see the glory of God manifested and for His Kingdom to come, and His will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.
How can people take part in these evangelistic efforts?
I can be reached via e-mail for joining me in ministry or support at thatjoelguy@gmail.com.
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Thanks Marcus for the privilege and opportunity to here here.
Joel,
What ended up happening with the police in Times Square, as shown in the video?
When the police arrived, they told me I had to leave.I asked them if I was breaking the law. They told me I was “blocking the sidewalk”. I pointed out that they were taking up more space than I was. Then they told me I was drawing a crowd. I pointed out that my crown had tripled since their arrival, and that they were there in answer to prayer. I had prayed that the police would come, with lights flashing, in order to draw a large crowd for me to preach to.
One of them pointed to the cross and said, “That’s a weopon!”
I asked if he were kidding.
Then, one of them said, very angrily, that if I were to carry the cross through that crowded area, and lose my balance and fall, and perhaps injure a small child, that the parents of the child could sue the city of New York.
I said, “officer, you make a good point. I guess the safest think for me to do then, is not to carry it through this crowd, but to stand here with it and preach to all these people!”
At this point, the seargent drove up with lights flashing. The other two officers went over to him to fill him in on the situation.
Several people stepped out of the crowd and encouraged me not to leave. I told them I came to preach, and didn’t intend to leave until I finished!
The police seargent came up in front of me and said, “I need you to work with me.” I asked what he needed. He then asked if I could stand behind the line on the sidewalk near the street and preach toward the buildings where the crowd had gathered. That the crowd could stay near the buildings, allowing plenty of space for foot traffic to pass through. I said, perfect!
Then, he turned to the other two officers and ordered them to stand on either side of me while I preached, and not to leave until I told them I was finished. I thanked him, and then began to preach to the crowd. I gave an “altar-call” and several people stepped forward!
It was clearly a divine set up.
This is so good , thank you for sharing it with me ! my husband watched it to ! he’s not a christain and needs the Lord ! Love, Pam
I went a few nights with this servant of GOD through the streets of Charlotte. I can’t say I saw anyone fall down and accept Christ at that time but many people kept coming to ask questions. I also will not forget us walking down a sidewalk past a restaurant window. A woman was sitting there and was looking down at her plate and she suddenly looked up and saw this big cross going by and her eyes got big and her mouth fell open. I wish we could have talked with her but I know in my heart that she has been touched by GOD’S Spirit that day. I also remember we talked to a Jewish woman that day that believed that as long as you follow your belief and have one everything is fine. I hope and pray that GOD will one day draw her to HIMSELF and am glad Joel was able to witness to her. It was a blessed night there where many more things that happened but I think I am getting multiple outings confused so I will leave the description at that I pray that GOD continue to bless Joel in this ministry.
Paul
Dear Paul,
I am so impressed with your ministry. God bless you in all your encounters as you carry your cross throughout the world! Whenever you come through NYC again, please contact me. I would like to partner with you somehow. I am an evangelist and have events all over the Metro area of NYC.
Colleen
Dear Colleen,
I just want to correct you on one part. It’s really GOD’S ministry through Joel I was just able to witness this one small portion as I got to walk with Joel and witness GOD working through him. Though I have been called by GOD and am letting HIM perfect my character to the calling HE has for me. I am sure that GOD is using me in many other ministries before he trusts me in the one HE has shown and I tell you to love GOD’S Word is to love GOD’S will because HIS Word comes from HIS will. I am not sure if I will be coming to New York but one day if GOD will’s it I might. Joel is the one you should contact he is the one sent by GOD in this ministry. May GOD bless you to overflowing in your endeavors to bring glory to HIS name in New York and may HE always find hearts to strengthen there until Jesus comes again.
Paul
Christ said take up your cross daily and follow me…..
Thank you for being obedient.
Folks we don’t have to carry across like Joel is doing. You just need to pick up your Bible and read his Word and then be obedient to it and do what he tell you to do.
Thank you brother joel for your bold witness for the Lord Jesus Christ! The Lord is using your ministry and it was an inspiration to me also . I am a laborer in the Lord’s vineyard
too!! I admire your courage. Keep on my brother, always abounding in the work of the Lord for your labor is not in vain in the Lord! Halielujah!!!! I’ve got one question to ask
you though, how are you able to travel to city to city, and preach the gospel. That very
same thing has been on my heart also. Not carrying the cross literally, but bearing the cross in the preaching of the cross from city to city in field ministry. I don’t have a job now due to being laid off. But I have a lot of time to preach and teach; I want to give my all to the One who gave His all for me.
Faithful in Christ
Brother Robert
Brother Robert,
Thank you for your comment. It is always good to hear of someone who is obedient to the last command given by our Lord Jesus before He ascended on high.
As to your question, I am very similar to you, “a man of like passion with you”. I minister full-time, but must also work cleaning carpets, painting and power-washing as well to pay my bills and expenses. The video here was taken when my step-son recorded as we stopped to minister along the way back from a mission-trip in Mexico, driving back to North Carolina through Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. And then another trip we took to New York City, and stopping to do open-air ministry along the way in Phillidelphia, Washington, DC, etc…
I do a lot of open-air, street ministry here in the Charlotte area, and whenever I’m invited somewhere else to minister, i like to “redeem the time” during the day and go out for some kind of ministry outside the Church buildings, where the lost are.
Anyone can do what I do, if they would only step out. Walking on the water is pretty easy. It’s the “getting out of the boat” part that’s difficult sometimes. But, as someone has said, “If you don’t get out of the boat, you’re never going to walk on the water”.
The above video clip stops functioning at 5:48 on this library computer that I am using…just letting you know
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